Interlocking support for sheet-like elements



Dec. 4, 1962 J. E. RAlDx-:L 3,065,773

INTERLOCKING SUPPORT FOR SHEET-LIKE ELEMENTS Filed Nov. 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .i /i-j- I l 'lll f3 29 f4 32 39;@ //27 /3 37 ff NM/ f L /lr/l/IJ .I W h M 33a \24 V 40 42W w z c/oH/v EPH/DEI.

ATTORNEY INTERLOCKING SUPPORT FOR SHEET-LIKE ELEMENTS Filed Nov. 4, 1960 J. E. RAIDEL Dec. 4, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR d HN T/PA /D-L ATTORNEY .lohn ll. Raidel, 1:5@62 Dunton Drive, Whittier, Qaiif. Filed Nov. 4, 124613, Ser. No. 67,3139' 9 Claims. (Ci. 18th-3e) This invention relates to a novel support to which sheetlike elements may be effectively anchored, without the use of fastenings, to form walls, roofs, floors and the like, and which is adapted for use in the construction of vehicle bodies, buildings or the like.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a support to which adjacent edges of pieces of sheet metal or other deformable sheet material can be effectively and securely anchored.

till a further object of the invention is to provide an interlocking support which will greatly facilitate and simplify assemblies constructed from said supports and sheet-like elements, to thereby materially reduce the cost of construction of structures formed from a combination of such elements.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating presently preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

FEGURE l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a portion of a structure including two sheet-like elements anchored to one of the interlocking supports;

FGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 2-2 of FIG- URE l;

FiGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along `a plane corresponding to the plane of FGURE 2 and showing the support, prior to the interlocking of the parts thereof together;

FIGURE 4 is a View similar to FlGURE 3 showing a slightly modified form of the interlocking support and with the parts thereof in another stage or position of their connection;

FiGURE 5 is a cross sectional View, similar to FIG- URE 2, showing the interlocking support of FEGURE 4 with the parts thereof fully interlocked, and

FEGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along a plane, corresponding to the planes of FEGURES 2 to 5 and showing another embodiment of the interlocking sup port.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and first with reference to FGURES l to 3, the interlocking support, designated generally 8 and comprising the invention, includes a female part or body 9 and a rnale part or key lil. FGUR-E l is described as an elevational view so that the support 8, as thus described, may constitute an upright such as a post of any desired height or length. However, as the description proceeds, it will be readily apparent that the support S may be disposed horizontally or at an incline to provide a joist or beam for a door or roof. Further, the female part or body 9 may be suitably anchored at its ends to any suitable supporting structure, not shown.

rlhe body 9 has a central portion 11 of substantial thickness, as seen in FEGURE 2, and is provided at an outer side thereof with laterally extending coplanar flanges 12, having outer faces 13 which are disposed coplanar with an outer face 1d of said central portion 11.

The central portion 11 has a channel extending from end-to-end thereof, including an inner part 15 which is substantially heart-shaped in cross section, as seen in FlG- URE 3. The channel also includes a restricted passage 16 extending from end-to-end thereof and which opens through the outer face 14 and which is located midway ice of the flanges 12. The restricted passage 15 opens into the heartshaped, laterally enlarged, inner portion 15 of the channel midway between laterally spaced conoavely bowed surfaces 17 of said heart-shaped portion 15 and in alignment with a narrow bed portion 13 of the channel portion 1S.

The channel portion 15 is divided by a wall 19 which extends from end-to-end thereof and which projects from the narrow innermost portion 1S of the channel. The wall 19 is provided with a rounded outer edge 2d, which is disposed in the passage le, and has a narrow portion 21 extending between said rounded portion 20, and a flared portion 22 of greater width than the rounded edge portion 2@ and of substantially greater width than the narrow portion 21. The flared portion 22 defines corresponding inclined cam surfaces 23 which converge toward the narrow portion 21. The wall also includes an innermost portion of a lesser width having corresponding grooves 24 opening outwardly from opposite sides thereof, each of which is rounded in cross section. The spacing between the grooves 24 is less than the spacing between the remote edges of the cam surfaces 23.

The body 9 includes a second pair of oppositely extending ccplanar flanges 25 which are set inwardly from the other inner face 26 of the central portion 11.

The male member or key 1t) is of the same length as the female member or body 9 and is composed of a head 27 and a web or bit 2S, which parts are coextensive. rThe key 1t) is of substantially Tshaped cross sec-tion, as seen in FGURE 3, with the web or bit 28 projecting from an inner side 29 of the substantially flat head 27 and being disposed approximately midway of the side edges of the head. The web or bit 28 has a slot 30 extending from end-to-end thereof which opens outwardly of the edge of the bit, located remote from the head 27, and which extends inwardly to adjacent the head 27. 1n cross section, the slot 30 has a restricted neck portion 31 which dares in both directions and which is narrower than the rounded innermost end 32 of said slot. The slot 3) flares in width from the other end of the neck 31, which is. disposed remote from said inner end 32, to provide a slot portion 33 of substantial length which extends to the open edge of the slot, located remote from the head 27.

The slot Sti forms corresponding furcations 34 which are of substantial thickness in cross section at the neck 31 and which are of substantially less thickness remote from the neck 31 and inner slot end 32, as seen at 35, and which are provided with internal ribs 36 at the ends thereof disposed remote from the head 27.

Assuming that the female section or body 9 is secured in a fixed position, two plate-like elements 37 of sheet metal or other deformable material are bent to provide adjacent edge portions 38 which lare disposed at approximately right angles to the planes of the plates or panels 37. Said edge portions 38 are inserted into the channel 15 through its passage 16 so as to straddle the partition wall 19 and to bear against the side walls of the passage 16. The angularly turned edge portions or 'flanges 38 are of a width to extend to adjacent the innermost part of the channel 15, when portions of the plates 37 are disposed in abutting engagement with the outer faces 13, 14 of the body member 9, as seen in FIGURE 3.

The web or bit 2S of the key member 10 is of a width to be slidably inserted into the channel 15 through the passage 16 and between the flanges 3S. Pressure may be applied in any suitable manner to the outer face 39 of the head 27 to displace the key 1li inwardly or toward the body 9. As the key 1i! is advanced slightly beyond its position of FlGURE 3, the internally rounded internal beads 36 will contact the cam surfaces 23 to cause the portions 35 of the furcations, located near the beads 36, to spring outwardly as the b-eads ride over the cam surfaces 23 for bending the free edges of the flanges outwardly. As the beads clear the cam surfaces Z3, said beads will snap into the grooves 24, and as the web or bit 28 continues to be advanced inwardly of the channel l5, the portions 35 of the furcations 34 will be deformed or bent outwardly relative to one another and will be expanded toward the walls of the two cross sectional halves of the channel l5. During this deformation of the furcation portions 35, the portions of the flanges 38, which `are located inwardly of the walls of the passage i6, will be bent ontwardly and then upwardly. As the key lll reaches a fully applied position relative to the body 9 and with the inner side Z9 of the head 27 abutting against portions of the two plates 37, as seen in FIGURE 2, the furcations 34 will have `been deformed to substantially correspond to the cross sectional shape of the two halves of the inner channel portion l5, with the parts of the flanges 38, located within the channel portion l5, conforrnafbly engaging against the arcuate channel surfaces f7 which straddle the passage 16. locked position of FIGURE 2, the neck 3l of the slot Sil will be forced to expand as it straddles and passes the laterally enlarged outer edge or bead of the partition Wall 19 to force the flanges 3S away from one another and tightly against the walls of the passage i6. The neck 31 thereafter moves into a position straddling the restricted partition wall portion 2l so that the bead 20 is received in the laterally flare-d inner end 32 of the slot 363 and functions therewith to provide an additonal means of interlocking the key l@ to the body 9, since the width of the neck 3l is less than that of the bead Ztl, in the fully c interlocked position of the parts, as seen in FIGURE 2. It will be readily apparent that the sheet-like elements or plates 37 will be securely anchored to and `supported at adjacent edges thereof by the support 8, when the key member itl has been deformed and interlocked with the body member 9, in the manner heretofore described, and that the interlocking or anchoring of the plates 37 in the support 8 is acocmplishehd without the use of fastenings. It will also be understood that a number of the supports 8 will -be utilized and that edges, not shown, of the plates 37, located opposite to the flanges 38, will be anchored in the same manner to other supports 8.

If the plates or sheet-like members 37 constitute an outer wall surface, for example, the support S can also be utilized for mounting an inner wall ply composed of panel elements 40, Iadjacent edges of which may be disposed against outer sides of the 'anges 25 and abutting outwardly facing shoulders 4l of the body ES, and said panel members all may be secured in any suitable manner to said flanges 25, as by fsstenings 42.

FIGURES 4 `and 5 illustrate a slightly modified form of the two-part interlocking support, designated generally 43, and including a female section or body member 44 and a male section or key member d5. The exterior of the body member 44 differs from that of the body member 9 in that the flanges 25 are omitted. The body mem ber 44 has a channel including an inner portion t6 of substantially heart-shaped cross section fand a restricted outer portion 47, forming a passage which opens through the outer substantially flat face d3 of the body member 44, midway between the coplanar flanges 49 thereof. rfhe channel 46 is provided with a medial partition wall Si?. The channel portion 46 differs from the channel portion 15 in that it is provided with grooves 5l which extend toward the outer surface 48. The grooves Si are laterally spaced from the pa'sage t7 and open into the channel portion 46 through the laterally extending concavely bowed surfaces 52 which otherwise substantially conform to the surfaces 17. The partition wall Sil differs from the partition wall 19 only in that the bead 53, dening the outer edge of said partition wall, has teeth 54 on opposite sides thereof, whereas the bead Ztl has smooth rounded opposite sides.

The key mem-ber 55 differs from the key member l@ in AS the'key l@ approaches its fully interthat its head 55 is preferably wider than the head 27 and is preferably of a Width corresponding to the maximum width of the body member ad, as measured between the remote edges of the flanges e9. The web or bit 56 of the key member 45 corresponds in cross section with the web 28 of the key member it?, except that the restricted neck portion 57 thereof is provided with a series of teeth 58 in each of the walls defining said neck and which open toward one another, whereas the walls defining the neck 3l are smooth.

The two-part support 43 is utilized in substantially the same manner as the two-part support 8 and is adapted to have two sheet-like elements or plates 59 anchored thereto. The plates 59 are bent to provide flanges 6i? at adiacent edges thereof which are disposed at right angles to the planes of said plates and which extend inwardly through the passage 4.7, in the same manner as the flanges 38. However, the flanges ell differ from the flanges 3S in Ithat their marginal edges are lbent outwardly to provide lips 61. The web 56 of the key member 45 is pressed toward the body member dt so as to pass through the passage i7 between the flanges 6@ and into the channel portion 46. The beads 63 of the furcations 62 of the web or bit 56 are cammed apart by engagement with the cam surfaces 64 of the partition wall Slt and thereafter snapped into the grooves or notches 65 of said partition wall, in the same manner as heretofore described in reference to the support 8. Further inward displacement of the key member 45 toward the body dit causes the furcations 62 to be deformed outwardly to substantially conformably fit the two cross sectional halves of the channel portion 46 and to bend or deform the parts of the flanges ob, contained in the channel portion 46, Ioutwardly until parts of said flanges conformably bear against the channel surfaces 52. The interlocking of the support halves ad and 45 differs from the interlocking of the halves of the support 8, as previously described, in that the flanges 6% are of a proper length so that with portions of the plates 59 bearing on the at outer face d8 of the body member 44., the lips 61 are correctly positioned to enter into the notches 51 when parts of the flanges 6l? are bent outwardly and against the surfaces 52, to more effectively anchor the plates 59 in the interlocked support 43. Also, toothed surfaces 58 are forced around the bead 53 and into interlocking engagement with the teeth S4 to more effectively and securely interlock the key member rl5 to the body member 44, as seen in FIGURE 5. ln the interlocked position of the parts, portions of the two plates 59 are clamped between the face 48 and flat inner face 66 of the head 55.

FIGURE 6 illustrates another form of the support,- designated generally 67, including a body member 68 of angular cross section having two channels 69 of substantially heart-shaped cross section, each of which is provided with a restricted passage 7x3. The passages 70 open outwardly through corresponding outer faces 7l, 72 which are disposed at an angle to one another. The faces 7l, 72 are shown as being disposed at approximately a right angle to one another but could be located at other angles.

Two key members 73 are utilized with the body 63. Each key member 73 substantially corresponds with the key member 45, except for the head 74 thereof. A bit or web 75 of each key member 73 corresponds with the bit 56, and each channel portion 69 has a partition wall 76, corresponding with the partition wall St). The channel 69 corresponds with the channel l5 in that it does not include the grooves 5l. Each side edge portion of the body 68, only one of which is fully shown, corresponds with the side edge portions of the body ll, in that it includes flanges 77 and 7S, corresponding `to the flanges l2 and 25, respectively, and which function in the same manner and for the same purpose.

Only a single plate 79 is anchored to the support 67 by each key member 7 as seen in FIGURE 6. A right angular flange 8@ of the plate 79 is engaged by only one furcation 81 of the key member 73 and is bent to conformably engage against only the Iouter one of the arcuate channel surfaces 82, which corresponds to the channel surfaces 17. One half of the head 74 is internally thickened, as seen at 83, so that a part of the plate is clamped between said half of the head and one of the outer face portions 72. The inner surface 84 of the other longitudinal half `of the head 74 is outwardly offset somewhat relative to the inner surface -of the head portion 83 and bears flush against one of the -face portions 71 when each key member 73 is interlocked with the body 68. Thus, the support 67 may provide a corner support for connecting two plates 79 which are disposed at an angle to one another.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may be resorted to, without departing from the function or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An interlocking support for sheet-like elements comprising an elongated `body member and an elongated key member, said body member being recessed to provide a channel extending from end-to-end thereof including an inner channel portion of substantially heart-shaped cross section and a restricted outer portion forming a passage, said body member having an outer face through which said passage opens, said passage communicating with said inner channel portion, a partition wall disposed medially of said inner channel portion and of an inner part of said passage, said key member including a lbit extending from end-to-end thereof, said bit having a longitudinal slot dening furcations in cross section, a pair of sheet-like elements having substantially flat portions bearing against said outer face and angularly disposed flanges extending from said flat portions through said passage and into the inner channel portion on opposite sides of said partition wall, said bit being of a Width to enter the passage and said inner channel portion between said anges, said partition wall and the furcations having coacting cam portions for deforming said furcations as the bit is forced inwardly through the passage to cause portions of the furcations to substantially conform in cross section to the cross sectional shape of the halves `of said inner channel portion and for bending portions of said flanges into positions conformably engaging between said deformed portions -of the furcations and wall portions of the inner channel halves for interlocking said key member to the body member and for anchoring the two sheet-like elements to the support.

2. A support as in claim 1, said key member including a head extending from end-to-end thereof and having an inner side from which said bit portion projects, parts of said substantially fiat portions of the sheet-like elements being clamped between the inner side of the head and said outer face of the body member when the key member is interlocked with the body member.

3. A support as in claim l, said partition wall and furcations having portions disposed within said passage in interlocking engagement with one another when said key member is interlocked with the body member.

4. A support as in claim 3, said interlocking portions of the partition wall and furcations including meshing teeth.

5. A support as in claim 1, said partition wall having longitudinally extending oppositely facing grooves disposed beyond the cam portion thereof and in which cam portions of the furcations are received and seated after moving out of engagement with the cam portion of the partition wall.

6. A support as in claim 1, said body member having longitudinally extending grooves opening into said inner channel portion on opposite sides of the partition wall,

and said anges having outturned longitudinally extending lips engaging in said grooves when the key member is interlocked with the body member.

7. An interlocking support comprising an elongated body member having two outer faces disposed at an angle to one another and two longitudinally extending recesses each defining a channel including an inner portion of substantially heart-shaped cross section and a restricted passage communicating with said inner portion, said channels being disposed at an angle to one another and the passages thereof opening through said outer faces, a partition wall dividing each heart-shaped channel portion and extending lengthwise thereof, said partition walls extending into the passages, and being disposed medially thereof, a key member assocated with each channel including a bit extending from end-to-end of the channel and of a width to be received in the channel passage, each bit being slotted from end-to-end thereof to provide furcations for straddling the partition wall, a pair of sheet-like elements disposed at an angle to one another and having angular disposed flanges at adjacent ends thereof, said flanges extending into said channels through said passages and on corresponding sides of the partition walls and said bits, and each bit being of a length in cross section substantially greater than the depth of the channel and the furcations thereof having outwardly bowed portions which are deformable away from one another, when the bit is forced into the channel thereof, said furcations fitting substantially conformably in the channel when the key members are fully interlocked with the body member, one of the furcations of each bit engaging the ange disposed in each channel for bending and clamping said anges between said furcations and wall portions of said inner channel portions.

8. An interlocking support comprising an elongated body member and a key member, said body member having a channel extending lengthwise thereof and opening outwardly through a surface of the body member, said channel having a laterally enlarged inner portion, a sheetlike element having an edge portion engaging in said channel, said key member including an elongated bit of bifurcated cross section receivable in said channel, and said body meber including means engaging and deforming said furcations, when the bit is forced into the channel, for positioning parts of the furcations in interlocking engagement with said inner channel portion, said edge portion of the sheet-like element being bent by deformation of one of said furcations for clamping said edge portion between parts of the body member and key member for anchoring the sheet-like element to said support.

9. An interlocking support comprising a body member and a key member, said body member having a recess opening outwardly thereof and including an enlarged inner portion, said recess being adapted to accommodate a part of a sheet-like element, said key member including a bifurcated bit receivable in the recess, said body member having a part disposed in the recess and engaged by the bit furcations, when the bit is forced into the recess, for deforming the furcations to position parts thereof in interlocking engagement with the enlarged inner portion of the recess, deformation of the bit being adapted to bend and clamp said part of the sheet-like element between parts of the body member and key member for anchoring the sheet-like element to the support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 763,438 Sonder June 28, 1904 2,751,109 Moore June 19, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 203,204 Switzerland Aug. l, `1939 

